June-July 2016 Newsletter

June/July, 2016
Our Area’s Voice on Mental Illness
With more than 1,200 affiliates, NAMI
is America's largest grassroots mental
health organization dedicated to
improving the lives of all individuals
affected by mental illness.
Inside This Issue
Upcoming Events/Meetings/Dates
Peer-to-Peer Begins / Connection
Facilitator Training ..….…………........... 2
NAMIWalks/Big Thank You…………...…..3
Surge in Suicide Rates …..…..………...........4
Food Stamp Ban Lifted/ Ga Advocacy
MH Court Recognition…………….....…..5
NAMI Columbus
P.O. Box 8581
Columbus, GA 31908
(706) 320-3755 (leave a message)
Website: www. namicols.org
E-mail: info4@namicolsinc.org
Board of Directors:
Shelley Reed, Ph.D
Molly Jones
Amy Zabel
Tristen Hyatt
Stephen Akinduro
Doris Keene
Phil Tirado
Kristine Walls
Vacancy
President
1st VP
2nd VP
Treasurer
Clay Baum, Advisor
Buddy Coiner, Advisor
Paul Morris, Advisor
David Wallace, Advisor
Georgia Crisis & Access Line
Single Point of Entry to access mental
health, addictive disease and crisis
services 24/7/365
Adults, Children & Adolescents
1-800-715-4225
Peer Support “Warm Line”
1-888-945-1414 (toll-free)
The Georgia Mental Health Consumer
Network operates a state-funded,
consumer-directed “warm line” for
anyone struggling with mental health
issues, 24 hours a day
Columbus ACT Team
AmericanWork, Inc.
706-641-9663
Support
Education
IOOV
Monthly Education Meeting
Lutheran Church of the Redeemer,
4700 Armour Road, Cols., GA 31904
June 20, 2016 -- 6:00 P.M.
No, IOOV is not a Roman numeral. In Our Own Voice (IOOV) is
a unique public education program developed by NAMI in which trained
consumer speakers share compelling personal stories about living with
mental illness and achieving recovery. In 2010, 2012 and 2013 NAMI
Columbus sent consumer members to NAMI Georgia to be trained as
presenters, and now in 2016 two more were trained last week. One of
our newest trained consumer members will share her presentation with
you for this month’s education program, so be sure that you plan to attend. This will be the first time for our newest IOOV speaker to present
her story. We want all our NAMI Columbus friends and members to
please attend and give her encouragement.
IOOV is an opportunity for those who have struggled with mental illness to gain confidence and to share their individual experiences of
recovery and transformation. Throughout the IOOV presentation, audience members are encouraged to offer feedback and ask questions. Audience participation is an important aspect of IOOV because the more
audience members become involved, the closer they come to understanding what it is like to live with a mental illness and stay in recovery.
IOOV presentations have been given to new employee trainings
at WCGRH as well as to consumer groups, students, law enforcement
officials, educators, providers, faith community members, politicians, professionals, inmates, and interested civic groups. NAMI Georgia has now
incorporated IOOV into all CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training classes
for law enforcement. All presentations are always offered free of charge.
The goals of IOOV are to meet the need for consumer-run initiatives, to set a standard for quality education about mental illness from
those who have been there, to offer genuine work opportunities, to encourage self-confidence and self-esteem in presenters, and to focus on
recovery and the message of hope.
Anyone familiar with mental illness knows that recovery is not a
singular event, but a multi-dimensional, multi-linear journey characterized
more by the mindset of the one taking it than by his or her condition at
any given moment along the way.
Understanding recovery as having several dimensions makes its
uneven course easier to accept. Much as we don't blame the cancer patient for developing invasive tumors, we can't condemn a consumer
whose symptoms overtake his or her best efforts to manage the illness.
Anyone interested in seeing a presentation may request that
one be given in their area by calling the NAMI Columbus Office at (706)
320-3755. Leave a message for Stephen Akinduro, the NAMI Columbus
IOOV Coordinator.
If you are able, please bring an item for the
refreshment table.
NOTICE: There will be no educational meeting in July.
(See calendar, page 2)
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 1 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery
Upcoming Events
(Below are chances for you to get involved)
June, 2016
August, 2016—Advance Planning
20
03
Monthly Education Program—IOOV (In Our
Own Voice) Presentation
cordially invited to attend at 5 pm at the
Columbus Government Center, Plaza Level.
Please come support and congratulate the hard
work of our latest graduates.)
July, 2016
06
Peer-to-Peer Class begins—6-8:30 pm for
10 weeks. Pre-registration mandatory
18
NO Monthly Education Program—
SUMMER BREAK (Family/Friend and NAMI
Connection Recovery Support Groups will
meet instead)
18-22 CIT Training—Columbus Police Department
Summer is a good
time to reconnect
with members.
Come join us at a
support meeting.
Mental Health Court Graduation (You are
15
Monthly Education Program
Every Saturday, 9am-noon, is Market Days, 1000
block of Broadway, downtown Columbus. Come
be a part of the fun and help erase stigma.
“Open” Support Groups:
Every Monday night, 6-7:30 pm
Family/Friend and NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups
Both groups meet at Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 4700 Armour Rd.
Every Saturday 1-2:30 pm
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group
Meets at The Bradley Center’s Multipurpose Room
(Use 22nd St. Parking Lot for easier access)
NAMI on Campus at CSU monthly meetings are
the first Tuesday of every month in Schuster Building, Room
130. 12:30pm to 1:30pm. There are a number of ways to contact NoC or follow their activities:
https://columbusstate.collegiatelink.net/organization/nami
Namicsu@gmail.com
Facebook: nami on campus csu
Instagram: namicsu
New NAMI Peer-to-Peer Class To Begin July 6
NAMI Peer-to-Peer is a free 10-week recovery education course open to anyone experiencing a mental health
challenge. The course is designed to encourage growth, healing and recovery among participants. The class will
be on Wednesday evenings, 6—8:30 pm beginning July 6th. Pre-registration is mandatory (to ensure enough
supplies). Register by contacting Kristine Walls 706.575.2684 / nursehazelnut2@msn.com or Jenna Plott
706.580.7471 / plott_jenna@columbusstate.edu . If you have taken Peer-to-Peer before, but would like a “refresher”, you are welcome to do so.
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group Facilitator Training
On Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
NAMI Georgia will offer a free, training in Cartersville, Georgia for individuals who wish to become NAMI Connection Support Group facilitators. Go
online to NAMI Georgia at www.namiga.org to apply. (You must have a reference letter from NAMI Columbus.)
Support
Education
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 2 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery
NAMIWalks Georgia
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Historic Grant Park, Atlanta
We are at 72 Walkers and have raised over $10,000 to date! What a fantastic start! NAMIWalks Georgia is just
4 months away, so now is the time to register online or obtain answers to any questions you have by visiting
http://www.namiwalks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=569 and creating or joining a
team. For walkers participating in the Atlanta walk, we highly encourage all donations be made online with a
credit card using your fundraising page. However, if you have an individual interested in making a donation on
your behalf with a check, please share the following info: Make checks payable to NAMI Georgia and mail to
NAMI Georgia, Attn: NAMIWalks Georgia, 3180 Presidential Drive, Suite A, Atlanta, GA 30340.
For any questions, please contact the Walk Manager at namiwalks@namiga.org.
SAVE THE DATES!
Walk Meeting – July 16, NAMI Georgia office
Kick-off Breakfast – August 26, DeKalb Community Service Board
Walk Meeting – September 17, NAMI Georgia office
For any questions, please Email our Walk Manager at: namiwalks@namiga.org
Walk Phone Line: 770-234-0856
Mark your calendars for other NAMIWalks happening in Georgia this fall:
October 1, 2016 - NAMIWalks NWGA (Rome) NAMIWalksNWGA.
October 15, 2016 - NAMIWalks SWGA (Moultrie) NAMIWalksSWGA
Recently Molly Jones (NAMI Columbus Vice President) asked The Overby Company if they would be willing to donate a
copier to NAMI Columbus for our office at The Bradley Center. They immediately said yes and delivered our copier soon
after. If you know of someone at The Overby Company, please join us in thanking them. Being able to make copies is vital
to NAMI Columbus being able to do what we do best, support, educate and advocate. Without the generosity and goodwill
of companies like The Overby Company, our volunteers would have a much harder time accomplishing our mission.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Support
Education
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 3 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery
Surge in Suicide Rates: What Can Be Done? - Beliefnet
There’s been a shift towards an integrated care system where the treatment program is created by peers for peers and focuses equally
on the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical parts of depression.
posted May 03, 2016
Mental health and physical health are related, and you
need both to be in balance when dealing with depression and
suicide attempts. But you also need the spiritual and emotional
parts to be working well. There’s been a shift towards an integrated care system where the treatment program is created by
peers for peers and focuses equally on the spiritual, emotional,
mental and physical parts of depression. Most suicide prevention
efforts are now shifting to this new model, focusing mainly on
youth and older adults. But a recent United States federal
study found that suicide rates are higher for ages 45 to 64 than
any other age group. It’s the same
across genders and ethnicities.
Suicide levels have surged in the
United States to the highest levels
since 1986. What can we do to
help people in these age groups
contemplating suicide?
Suicide rates are going
up. As reported by The New York
Times, suicide in the United
States has surged to the highest
levels since 1986. In a 30 year
span, the rise in suicide for women ages 45 to 64 jumped by 63
percent. For men in the same age
category suicide rose by 43 percent. This means more women
are committing suicide than men. Its thought that divorce and
money are factors when it comes to suicide for men and women.
The most affected ethnic group are American Indians and Alaskan Natives, with rates rising by 89 percent for women and 38
percent for men. The rate declined for black men over 75 whether they were Hispanic black or Afro-American. But suicide in
black males is often under reported because depression is a
weakness, and their strong religious background labels suicide
as a sin.
Suicide methods are changing. Even one suicide attempt by a person means he or she is 40 times more likely to
attempt another suicide within a short period of time. And the
methods of suicide are changing. It’s no longer the person ready
to jump off a bridge or building, or drowning, or stabbing oneself
that’s the look of suicide. About one in four suicides involves
suffocation, which includes hanging and strangulation, compared
with fewer than one in five in 1999. Suffocation deaths are harder to prevent because nearly anyone has access to the means.
Suicides involving guns has gone up, with 31 percent for women, and 55 percent for men. Poisoning not just by prescription
drugs is used by both men and women. These methods reflect a
more isolated approach to suicide, where the chances of getting
help are slimmer because it’s not as public.
Three most common suicides. The three most common methods of suicide are firearms, poisoning (predominantly
drug overdose but poisons also), and suffocation (hanging).
These three suicide methods are easily accessible. And these
methods are being used more and more by men and women
ages 35-64. Women tend more towards poisoning while men
use suffocation. Both genders use guns. Ethnically, American
Indians and Alaskan Natives (AIAN) have the highest suicide
rates using these three methods. The usual method with AIAN is
suffocation, with men twice as likely as women to suicide. There
are lots of factors that can cause AIAN suicides, including discrimination and abuse. Its known that the rate for American Indians is higher than actually reported, because while birth
certificates list the person as American Indian, coroners often list
the person’s race as something other than American Indian.
Support
Education
Suicide prevention strategies. It takes lots of energy
and resources to reach out to someone who is suicidal or who
attempts suicide. People who attempt suicide lack a positive
attitude towards the mental health system, usually based on bad
experiences, and don’t show up for appointments. The National
Congress of American Indians has initiated efforts around suicide prevention by using resilience, trauma-informed care, healing, and the reduction of systemic violence and abuse within the
reservations. National U.S. suicide prevention strategies focus
on enhancing social support, community connectedness, and
better access to mental health and
preventive services. There’s a
growing worldwide effort to reduce
the stigma and barriers associated
with asking for help. WHAM is a
new model that’s being proven as a
very effective way to help someone
who has attempted suicide.
WHAM on depression.
WHAM, or Whole Health Action
Management, developed by
SAMHSA-HRSA in the United
States, is created by peers for
peers suffering with depression and
who’ve attempted suicide. It’s an
innovative program that’s being used by CDRIN in Canada and
is being incorporated into Canada’s provincial mental health care
strategies. WHAM includes 10 resiliency factors which are individually focused upon and then blended together to help a person’s whole being. These are: stress management, healthy
eating, physical activity, restful sleep, service to others, support
network, optimism based on positive expectations, cognitive
skills to avoid negative thinking, spiritual beliefs and practices,
and a sense of meaning and purpose. It’s a whole person approach based on the needs and wants of the people affected by
depression. Typically there are 10 sessions. Then participants
meet once a week for 8 weeks in a peer support group to discuss their progress implementing their personal whole health
goals and plans.
What to do if you need help. There are many good
groups that help people having suicidal thoughts. Here are a
few:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
Crisis Text Line: text ‘help’ to 741-741 This is open to people of
all ages but was inspired by teens
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386 www.thetrevorproject.org
Talking about suicide is necessary. The benefits go beyond the person. It’s a societal movement towards positive
change. Depression doesn’t discriminate. Like cancer, it can get
anyone. It can kill. As suicide rates surge in the United States,
Americans need to change tactics to deal with depression. The
new integrated model like WHAM is peer designed and so has
more relevance and ability to help someone who has attempted
suicide, and can be adopted to any ethnic group. We need to
save each other.
Read more
athttp://www.beliefnet.com/wellness/health/emotionalhealth/surge-in-suicide-rates.aspx#7eFjBPxjHGVv0wXK.99
“Without mental health there can be no true physical health.” ~
Dr. Brock Chisholm
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 4 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery
NOTICE: Effective July 1, 2016, Georgia will lift the permanent disqualification (ban) on individuals, who after August
22, 1996, were convicted of a felony related to the possession, use or distribution of a controlled substance (i.e. drug
felons). This means these individuals are no longer disqualified from the Food Stamp Program and are potentially
eligible for Food stamp benefits effective July 1, 2016. If a drug felon has been incarcerated and is released from
prison, then they may become eligible for benefits if they remain compliant with the general and special conditions of
their parole or probation. If they are noncompliant with the terms of their parole or probation, they will become ineligible for Food Stamp benefits. Please share this new information with those who may be affected.
As many NAMI members know, addiction very often accompanies mental illness. The change in food stamp rules will
help a great many of our members.
Mental Health Court Recognition
Norman Davis (from the Muscogee County MH Court program) asked two
members of NAMI Columbus to attend court on May 18th. Shelley Reed,
President and Molly Jones, Vice President attended. In honor of May’s Drug
Court Awareness Month (which mental health courts fall under) Norman presented plaques to those in the community that are supportive of the court
program. Along with NAMI Columbus, Norman presented recognitions to
several members of the community which included Judge Rumor, New Horizons, Sheriff Darr, City Manager Isaiah Hughley, and Dr Cyndy Pattillo. Team
members from the DA’s Office, Solicitor General’s Office, Public Defender’s
Offic as well as The Department of Community Supervision received recognition. Shelley and Molly thought it was a really nice event and felt it was wonderful for NAMI Columbus members to know how appreciative the Mental
Health Court is of our partnership and support.
2016 NAMI Georgia Legislative Priorities
The 2016 NAMI Georgia Legislative Priorities outline key objectives and policy positions that support our goal of ensuring that people
living with mental illness receive the treatment and supports necessary to recover and lead full and satisfying lives as valued members
of the community. NAMI Georgia takes positions as specific issues or legislation arise; however the following outlines our key policy
objectives:
1. End inappropriate incarceration of individuals with mental illness. Become involved in Stepping Up Initiative: (https://stepuptogether.org/ )
2. Expand accessible Accountability Courts/Mental Health Courts for all
Georgia counties.
3. Provide appropriate, affordable housing for people living with mental illness.
4. Ensure access to effective community mental health programs.
5. Improve mental health services for children, youth and young adults.
PLEASE SUPPORT FAMILY INVOLVEMENT BILL HB 705
(http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20152016/HB/705)
2015-2016 Regular Session - HB 705 requires care providers to provide periodic opporunities for a patient to designate a
family member or other individual as a person with whom the provider may discuss the patient's medical condition and
treatment plan; provisions.
Support
Education
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 5 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery
Columbus
P.O. Box 8581
Columbus, GA 31908
(706) 320-3755
Our Area’s Voice on Mental Illness
Many people find their way to our classes by first attending a support group. If you are a NAMI Columbus “long timer” (we don’t want to call you old), please attend either of the two weekly NAMI Connection
support groups or the weekly Family support group. Newcomers can use your wisdom and hard-earned
experience. Sharing a message of recovery gives the hope they are searching for. Many people tell us
that the NAMI motto “You Are Not Alone” is the initial feeling they realize at their first meeting. If you
are willing to train to be a support group facilitator, let us know!
I want to support NAMI Columbus
and NAMI’s mission.
Please Cut and Mail NAMI National, NAMI Georgia and NAMI Columbus are dedicated to eradicating stigma
and improving the lives of persons with mental
illnesses thereby also benefiting their friends,
family and community. Catch the wave and be
a part of change.
Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone Numbers (do not enter a number if you do not want to be
listed in the Membership Directory (members only).
E-Mail (Please include so we can be green and email you
our monthly newsletter.)
Please check type of membership desired:
Individual Membership $35 Dues
Professional Membership $50 Dues
(Individual and Professional Dues are for one year
and are tax deductible.)
$3 Open Door Membership (financial hardship)
I am not joining at this time, but I would like to make a
contribution of $ ______________. (Thank you!!!)
Support
Education
NAMI Columbus is one of the largest affiliates in
Georgia. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit charitable
organization. Dues and donations are tax deductible. Membership includes a subscription to our
monthly newsletter, membership directory, and
access to immediate news on advocacy, treatment and support issues from our national, state
and local organizations.
Please make checks payable to:
NAMI Columbus
P.O. Box 8581
Columbus, Georgia 31908
You can also join safely online at
www.nami.org/join ($35.00 by credit card).
June/July, 2016 ~~ Page 6 of 6
Advocacy
Recovery